Fish Report

Well, the spring rains are here and we need some good warm rains to green things up and by doing so to cut down on the fire danger. The trout fishermen ran into a tough trout opener this season. In some areas they could not even get into the areas they wanted to fish and then if they could, there was still slush on some fishing spots. But you can always look at the bright side, if there were any fish they are still there waiting for you.

We are still waiting for the nights to warm up so we can see the daytime temperatures get up where we can really enjoy it. Like I told Wifee, the key to nice weather up here is for the wind to die down. It is amazing how we can have two days in a row with the same actual temperature only one will be a calm day with no wind at all while the other will be windy. When this happens it is like day and night as to being able to enjoy the time outside.

From what I hear this spring has been a way better than average one for those that like to make a little syrup in the spring. Those that make maple syrup say that you need cold nights followed by warm days to make the sap run good.

I guess what makes it really interesting when you stop and think about those that make maple syrup, up here we have those that go into it big time and make it to sell. But you also have a lot of those that live up here that like to make maple syrup for their own personal use. In some cases it is as much as a spring activity as fish runs and spring turkey hunting.

As a youth I would get together with my buddies and we would make an attempt to make maple syrup. I do have to admit that usually we put a lot more effort into this project than the results we saw at the end. But it kept us busy through the spring and out of mom’s way.

There are a few trappers out there doing some spring trapping but from what they tell me you can still manage to get stuck without too much effort if you are not careful. There is still enough snow in some places to get stuck plus there is a lot of water in some of the mud holes where you can get stuck too.

I picked up some trees and shrubs to plant up at camp but there is still too much winter hanging on to do it. But it is leaving fast now and with some rain and above freezing nights I think we have it whipped now.

It is funny when you stop and think about the fact that the trees I am planting now will be for someone down the road at my age. Did you ever stop and think about all the things we do for someone else to enjoy but we still like doing it. We are planting some shrubs for wildlife food and some trees just to have a better variety for game cover.

I have always said if you want to keep your mind young you have to do things to keep you this way. I have always had this saying, “It will last as long as I do!” When you do this and have to repair or upgrade your project two-three times you have achieved something and outlived your first project.

There are those that are hearing a few frogs now and it won’t be long before the spring flowers carpet the woods.

Can you picture a guy that was lucky enough to have a job where he would get to go out along a trout stream and find a hole where the bank made a bend and there lay a couple of spawning trout. In other words there was some “bait” there in the creek in case someone decided to try out their luck.

So he would find a nice sunny spot where the sun shone down and you were out of sight and could lay there and watch your “bait” in the trout stream. And to think you were paid to do this. Some of the “old timers” I worked with would get out their jackknife and find something to whittle on. It was amazing what they could make out of a piece of wood. A lot of times we would spend hours along a trout stream just enjoying things.

In my travels a lot of times I run into someone now and then that has to remind me about the time we met on one of these trout streams. To tell the truth there were so many times and so many different people I cannot remember them all. But you can be sure that if you were one of those that met the game warden on a trout stream with your spear you will never forget it.

As I have said many times, “I had the best job in the world at the tail end of the best times.” Life could not have been any better.